The Sombrero Galaxy's Split Personality

Spitzer_ssc2012-06a_1024

spitzer_ssc2012-06a April 24th, 2012

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

'The infrared vision of NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has revealed that the Sombrero galaxy -- named after its appearance in visible light to a wide-brimmed hat -- is in fact two galaxies in one. It is a large elliptical galaxy (blue-green) with a thin disk galaxy (partly seen in red) embedded within. Previous visible-light images led astronomers to believe the Sombrero was simply a regular flat disk galaxy.

Spitzer's infrared view highlights the stars and dust. The starlight detected at 3.5 and 4.6 microns is represented in blue-green while the dust detected at 8.0 microns appears red. This image allowed astronomers to sample the full population of stars in the galaxy, in addition to its structure.

The flat disk within the galaxy is made up of two portions. The inner disk is composed almost entirely of stars, with no dust. Beyond this is a slight gap, then an outer ring of intermingled dust and stars, seen here in red.

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/5135-ssc2012-06a-The-Sombrero-Galaxy-s-Split-Personality

Curator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/18-Image-Use-Policy

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Image Details Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Sombrero Galaxy • Messier 104 • M104 • NGC 4594
Subject - Local Universe
Galaxy > Type > Elliptical
Galaxy > Type > Lenticular
Galaxy > Component > Ring
Galaxy > Type > Ring

Distance Details Distance

Universescale2
28,000,000 light years
Spitzer_ssc2012-06a_128
 

Position Details Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 12h 39m 59.5s
DEC = -11° 37’ 22.2”
Orientation
North is 22.3° CW
Field of View
12.3 x 15.0 arcminutes
Constellation
Virgo

Color Mapping Details Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 3.6 µm
Green Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 4.5 µm
Red Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Mid-IR) 8.0 µm
Spectrum_base
Blue
Green
Red
Spitzer_ssc2012-06a_1280
×
ID
ssc2012-06a
Subject Category
C.5.1.4.   C.5.1.3.   C.5.4.5.   C.5.1.5.  
Subject Name
Sombrero Galaxy, Messier 104, M104, NGC 4594
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Release Date
2012-04-24
Lightyears
28,000,000
Redshift
0.003416
Reference Url
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/5135-ssc2012-06a-The-Sombrero-Galaxy-s-Split-Personality
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Spitzer, Spitzer, Spitzer
Instrument
IRAC, IRAC, IRAC
Color Assignment
Blue, Green, Red
Band
Infrared, Infrared, Infrared
Bandpass
Near-IR, Near-IR, Mid-IR
Central Wavelength
3600, 4500, 8000
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
189.9980372, -11.6228372
Reference Dimension
1970.0, 2400.0
Reference Pixel
986.0, 1201.0
Scale
0.000104102, 0.00010410203
Rotation
-22.33
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Spitzer Space Telescope
URL
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu
Name
Spitzer Space Telescope
Email
Telephone
Address
1200 E. California Blvd.
City
Pasadena
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
91125
Country
USA
Rights
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/18-Image-Use-Policy
Publisher
Spitzer Science Center
Publisher ID
spitzer
Resource ID
ssc2012-06a.tif
Resource URL
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/uploaded_files/images/0008/8577/ssc2012-06a.tif
Related Resources
Metadata Date
2012-04-24
Metadata Version
×

 

Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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Universescalefull
28,000,000 light years

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